Pipe Tobacco Classifications
Air-Cured: These pipe tobaccos are dried naturally, sheltered from sunlight in large barns. The drying is carried out on the whole plant or as individual leaves. Sugar is the by-product of this three month drying process.

Dark Pipe Tobaccos: These pipe tobacco plants are very mature and developed at the time of picking. The leaf is subjected to a second fermentation process. These leaves are used to make cigars.

Fire-Cured: Akin to Dark, its natural drying is completed by a wood-fired fumigation (oak used by most of the traditionalists)

Sun-Cured: Almost all of Oriental pipe tobaccos are cured by this method. Oriental pipe tobaccos are grown in Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and adjoining countries.